Slash is back with the first track ‘You’re A Lie’ from his upcoming album ‘Apocalyptic Love’ out May 22. This new project with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators is the most anticipated hard rock release of the year so far, and by all indications from the first track, it is going to live up to all expectations. ‘You’re A Lie’ is my favorite track of 2012 so far.

Myles Kennedy joined Slash on two tracks on his solo album, and they were the best part of what was a great album. After extensive touring, Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass) and Slash were more than ready to deliver a stellar album, at least when Slash could get the hardest working man in rock, Myles Kennedy to fit in some recording. Myles will have some time to devote to rocking these new tracks on tour as his Alter Bridge bandmates will be concentrating on Creed for awhile.

“I completely left the lyrics to Myles. As far away from lyric writing as I can get, the better,” Slash told Rolling Stone, laughing. “He’s a good lyricist, so it’s not an issue.”

The song was the second track Slash brought to Kennedy, but it wasn’t done until the very end of the sessions. “We changed the arrangement twice, and it was the last thing we worked on in the studio when we were doing the album,” he says. “It was the last one we did and, funnily enough, the first one we released.”

Did he know it was a single? “The single concept has always been the last thing I ever want to deal with,” he says. “I come from that AOR mentality where a single to me can be a five-minute, six-minute, really cool rock track.”

Now that one is chosen and the record is nearly done, save for a few mixes, Slash can turn his attention to the upcoming live shows. “I’m looking forward to going out and jamming the stuff live and doing what it is that I do best,” he says.

The concert will feature several new songs. “There’s a song called ‘Anastasia,’ which would be killer for us to play live because it’s probably the longest, most instrumentally adventurous song on the record. There’s a lot of guitar in it,” he says. “There’s the song called ‘Apocalyptic Love,’ which is the title track of the record and the first song we ever did together.”

A full tour kicks off on May 3 in Baltimore, and the band will play a number of big Rock festivals including Carolina Rebellion on May 5, Rock On The Range on May 19 and Rocklahoma on May 25, and other radio station festivals.

Slash will also rock the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in L.A.on April 11, sharing a stage with Marilyn Manson, Sixx A.M., Evanescence and more on a night when KISS’ Gene Simmons will be honored. “I love Gene. Gene’s awesome, so it’s good that he’s getting an award at that event,” he says.

Slash will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame next month with Guns N’ Roses. According to Slash, he still doesn’t know what will happen. “It’s just far enough away at this point where I’m not focusing on it at all and there’s been no new news about what’s gonna happen there,” he says.

Slash is also part of series of commercials for the L.A.I.R. (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates and Reptiles) exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo with none other than Betty White.

Seether keep the rock coming with another Top 10 track, ‘No Resolution.’ It’s the third single from the ‘Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray’ album, and continues the success of the first two releases from the album;’Country Song’ and Tonight.’

Seether is on tour in the UK with 3 Doors Down until March 15, play a couple of headlining gigs in Istanbul and Italy, then head out for a big North American trek with Nickelback, Bush and My Darkest Days starting April 10 in Moline, IL.

Seether has been nominated for Best Live Band in the Revolver Golden Gods on Apr. 11 and you can now have the complete Seether ‘Collection’ with just one click at itunes. Four studio album and one live album for only $24.99.

Rise Against have another kick ass track with ‘Satellite’ from the ‘Endgame’ album in the rock picks of the week. The band just played shows on Mar. 9 & 10 in Helsinki, Finland, and are continuing on with shows in Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria. They return for a U.S. tour starting April 15 in San Diego, CA. with openers A Day To Remember and Title Fight.

The band are making some stops at record stores around the country to meet and sign autographs for fans. Here’s the record stores:
San Diego, CA
Sunday, April 15th at 4:30pm
M-Theory
915 Washington Street
San Diego 92024

Columbia, South Carolina’s Crossfade are up next with the great track ‘Prove You Wrong.’ It comes from the band’s third album ‘We All Bleed’ through Eleven Seven Music. The band consists of Ed Sloan on lead vocals and guitar, newest addition Les Hall on lead guitar, keyboard, and backing vocals, and Mitch James on backing vocals and bass.

The evolution marks a tidal shift in Sloan’s previous role as Crossfade’s singular commandeering voice, but he is the first to admit that sharing duties with Hall was an organic, if not essential benchmark in the band’s growth.

The pair has been buddies since the seventh grade in South Carolina, where they were both regarded as young guitar prodigies. As an adult, Hall was writing music for film scores and serving as a session and touring musician for the likes of Trey Anastasio and 70 Volt Parade, Howie Day and a number of local Columbia, S.C., acts. In 2006, “I randomly stopped by Eddie’s studio to hear tracks for Crossfade’s second album, and he told me they needed an additional guitar player to tour,” Hall says. “I learned both albums in a day and played through one song with the band and that was it; we went out and did our first show together. It immediately felt like home, playing this heavy stuff with your brothers.”

Hall longed to contribute in a fulltime role with the group—as a songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and arranger—which Sloan embraced. “I had to decide whether to tour with another band and collect a paycheck, or invest in something I really believed in,” Hall says. “Eddie and I had such a bond and mutual respect for each other. I told him I’d quit everything else and join the group if I could be part of the writing.”

Crossfade was dropped by Columbia Records, and Sloan has serious periods of self doubt, but Crossfade has overcome the adversity and cruelty the music business can present and have come back with a vengeance.

‘Prove You Wrong’ is a fantastic song with an equally fantastic video. Animation and band footage present an emotional song in a visually stunning way.

The band has a hometown St. Patricks day show slated at Five Points in Columbia, SC

Omaha, Nebraska rockers Emphatic are back in Rock Picks of the Week with their second single ‘Get Paid’ from the album ‘Damage.’ It follows the success of the first single ‘Bounce’ and continues the groove oriented hard rocking sound from the band. This is another song that was released awhile back, but really hasn’t gotten the attention or airplay it deserved. I do hope the band continues to get recognition from this track, and will be able to release a third single as well, so this current album and project gets its due.

Emphatic will be playing Rock On The Range in Columbus, OH on May 19, Rockapalooza in Jackson, MI and on June 27 with Puddle Of Mudd in Duluth, MN at Clyde Iron Works.

New Orleans band MuteMath make their first appearance in Rock picks with ‘Blood Pressure’, from the band’s third studio album ‘Odd Soul.’ The group consists of lead vocalist and keyboardist Paul Meany, drummer Darren King, guitarist Todd Gummerman, and bassist Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas. The video for the song was written, directed, and filmed in less than 24 hours during an off day in Los Angeles at the Warner Bros. Records parking lot. The band also released the second single ‘Allies’ last month, so I have included that as well. MuteMath have an infectious appeal and they continue to enlighten audiences and listeners with their brand of rock.

Mutemath have a few U.S. tour dates left before they go down under for an Australian tour that kicks off on May 5.
Mar 18 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Apr. 5 – Bear Tooth – Anchorage, AK
Apr. 20 & 21 – Rites of Spring – Nashville, TN